Fall Protection

Paul Mangiafico
OSHA Compliance Assistance Specialist
Hartford Area Office
 Introduction

Why Fall Protection?

 Construction worker dies in fall from condo project

Worker Hurt In Fall At

University Project
Bridge construction
accident injures six

Elementary school construction

accident sends 2 to hospital

Ironworker who fell had been on job only 3 weeks

Worker injured in second floor fall

These headlines are all from the third and fourth quarter of 2003
.33sec./2 feet
Did you
.67 sec./7 feet
know?
1 sec./16 feet
• It takes most people
about 1/3 of a second to
become aware.
• It takes another 1/3 of
a second for the body to
react.
• A body can fall up to 7
feet in 2/3 of a second.

2 sec./64 feet
 Falls

• Falls are the leading cause of fatalities

in the construction industry.
• An average of 300 fatal falls occurred
each year in construction.
 Fatal Falls Most Often From

Floors, Loading Non-moving

Docks, Ground Vehicles 3%
Level 4% Other 12%

Structural Steel Roofs 37%

9%

Ladders 15%
Scaffolds 20%
 Non- Fatal Falls Most Often From
Scaffolds 15%
Other 22%
Roofs 12%

Non-moving
Vehicles 9%

Ladders 35%
Stairs/Steps 7%
 Citations

What is OSHA Focusing On?

 Most Frequently Cited
Construction Standards
501(b)(1) Fall protection – unprotected sides and edges
1908
Scaffolds - fall protection
451(g)(1) 1415
PPE - hard hats
100(a) 1377
Fall Protection - residential construction
501(b)(13) 1244
Scaffolds - access
451(e)(1) 1202
Excavation - Protection of employees
652(a)(1) 1180
Aerial lifts - Fall protection
453(b)(2)(v) 1087
Scaffolds - platform construction
451(b)(1) 1051
Training & education
21(b(2) 952
Ladders -three foot above
1053(b)(1) 885
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500
 Subpart L 1926.450-454
Scaffolds
Scaffolds over 10 feet with no fall protection
451(g)(1) 1415
Access to scaffolds

451(e)(1) 1202
Aerial lifts - Fall protection

453(b)(2)(v) 1087
Scaffold platform construction

451(b)(1) 1051
Employee training for scaffold use

454(a) 655

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600

 Subpart M 1926.500-503
Fall Protection
Fall protection - Unprotected sides & edges
501(b)(1) 1907
Fall protection for residential construction

501(b)(13) 1240
Fall hazards training program

503(a)(1) 842
Fall protection for low-slope roofs

501(b)(10) 606
Fall protection for steep roofs

501(b)(11) 315

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500

 Subpart R 1926.750-761
Steel Erection
Fall Protection 15 Feet

Fall Hazard Training

760(a)(1) Commencement of Steel Erection

347

761(b) 74

752(b) 34
Connectors PFAS over 15 Feet
760(b)(3) 28

752(a)(1) 26
Concrete Strength Tested
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
 Subpart X 1926.1050-1060
Ladders
Portable ladders not extending three feet above the landing surface
1053(b)(1) 884
Stair rails & handrails
1052(c)(1) 414
Stairways/ladders required

1051(a) 220
Appropriate use of ladders

1053(b)(4) 243
Training program

1060(a) 171

0 200 400 600 800 1000

 Most Frequently Cited
Construction Standards

• 50% of the top 25 OSHA Construction

standards violated were Fall Related.
Philosophies of Fall Protection
Stop/Prevent The Fall Catch The Fall

Restraint/Positioning Fall Arrest

Guardrails Safety Nets

Warning Lines
Catch Platforms
Controlled Access Zones

Controlled Decking Zones Do these stop/prevent

the fall?
Safety Monitors
 Planning for Fall Protection
• Best practice dictates that fall
prevention/protection becomes an integral part of
the project planning process, from
constructability, to systems installation, to use
and maintenance
• A project cannot be truly safe unless fall
prevention/protection is incorporated into every
phase of the construction process
• Planning will keep workers safe and minimize
liability for all parties involved
 Controlling Fall Exposures
• Select fall protection systems appropriate for given
situations.
• Use proper construction and installation of safety
systems.
• Supervise employees properly.
• Use safe work procedures.
• Train workers in the proper selection, use, and
maintenance of fall protection systems.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of all steps
 Competent Person
• means one who is capable of identifying
existing and predictable hazards in the the
surroundings, or working conditions which
are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous
to employees, and who has the
authorization to take prompt corrective
measures to eliminate them.
 Falls onto dangerous equipment
• 0’ Allowable Fall
Distance
• (You Must Be
Protected)
 Break in elevation without a step
• 19”
First step onto a scaffold system
• 2’
Work on forms or steel reinforcing
• 6’
 Work on surfaces such as decks,
roofs, ramps, etc
• 6’
 Scaffold platforms without
guardrails
• 10’
 Vertical fixed ladders without
cages, etc.
• 24’
 Climbing steel reinforcing
• 24’
 Steel erection work
• 15-30’
Falls from portable extension
ladders
• No Limit
Which Standards Apply?

It’s Not Just Subpart M!

Which Standards Apply?
Which Standards Apply?
Which Standards Apply?
Which Standards Apply?
Which Standards Apply?
Which Standards Apply?
Which Standards Apply?
Which Standards Apply?
Which Standards Apply?
 Guardrails
• Primary Issues
– Complete System
• Full coverage
• Accessways/Ladderways
• Material Handling Areas
– Proper construction
• Strength
• Deflection
– Maintenance
– Custody & Control
 Coverage
Bad Better
Accessways/Ladderways

Bad Better
 Material Handling

When areas have been opened, PFAS is required

Gates are preferred to removable rails
 Wood Guardrail Construction
Proper Height
Midrails
Toeboards
Adequate Strength
 Cable Guardrail Construction
• Proper Height
• Cannot deflect
below 39”
• Marked every 6’
• Terminations and
Attachments
•Maintenance!
 Holes
• Covers
• Guardrails
 Skylights

Must be protected
 Leading Edges
• Catch Platforms
• PFAS
• Nets
 Scaffolds
• Supported
– Fabricated Frame
– Tube & Coupler
– Wall Brackets
– Form Brackets
– Ladder Jacks
– Pump Jacks
 Scaffolds
• Suspended
– Swings
– Multi-point
– Catenary
 Scaffolds
• Access
• Planking
• Guardrails
• Erection &
Dismantling
• Training
 Scaffold Access
Bad Better
Scaffold Platform Construction
Bad Better
 Scaffold Guardrails
Bad Better

Be especially aware of scaffold ends!

 Use of Braces for Guardrails

< 48"

Install Mid Rail

38 - 48"
Platform

• Brace can be used as a Top Rail.

 Use of Braces for Guardrails

Install Top Rail

< 48" 20 - 30"

Platform

• Brace can be used as a Mid Rail

Braces as
Guardrails

• The guardrails are

in compliance
using a 2x4 as one
rail and the brace
as the other rail.
• May not be the
safest way
Scaffold Erection & Dismantling
• “Competent Person” Determines Where
Fall Protection is “Feasible” and Does Not
Create a Greater Hazard
• Using Scaffolds as Anchorage Points?
 Aerial Work Platforms
• Boomlifts
• Scissorlifts
• Boom Trucks (Cherry
Pickers)
• Mast Climbers
Stairs
 Ladders
• Extension
• Step
• Vertical Fixed
• Job-built
 Ladders
• Extension
 Ladders
• Step
Roofs
 Methods of Roof Fall Protection
Fall
Safety Arrest
Monitors

Guardrails and
warning lines
 Flat/Low Slope
• 4:1 Slope or Less
• Beyond the Use of Guardrails, OSHA
Allows the Use of
– Warning Lines
– Safety Monitors
• Recommended:
– Guardrails or PFAS where feasible
– Limited use of lines and monitors on flat roofs
only
 Roof Warning Lines
• Must be 6 feet back
from edges (10’ with
equipment)
• NO CAUTION TAPE!
Safety Monitor
• Oversees work
outside the warning
lines.
• Establishes the
procedure to protect.
• Workers must receive
special training.
• Use should be
extremely limited
 High Slope
• Over 4:1 Slope
• OSHA Mandates
– Guardrails
– Catch Platforms
– Nets
– Restraint Devices
– Personal Fall
Arrest Systems
(PFAS)
 Fall Distances
• Total Fall Distance
• Free Fall Distance
 Impacting Structures Below
(Total Fall Distance)
• Consider:
– anchorage point location in relation to D-ring
height
– lanyard length,
– harness elongation,
– shock absorber opening length,
– body below D-ring
– body viscosity (soft tissue injuries!)
Impacting Structures Below
(Total Fall Distance)

6’ Lanyard Length

3.5’ Deceleration Device

5’ From D-Ring to
Total 18.5’
Worker’s Feet
below
anchorage
3’ Safety Factor (stretch,
point
bounce, etc.)

All distances are approximate, and shown for illustration only.

 Free Fall Distance
• How far a worker falls before shock absorbing
or deceleration equipment begins to take effect
– Affects both impact forces and total fall distance
• Anchorage point location in relation to D-ring
height
– Below the D-ring allows excessive falls
– Above the D-ring minimizes free fall to less than 6’
 Free Fall Distance or
“Vertical Displacement”
Total 11’ travel
distance of d-ring
before fall arrest
5’ From D-Ring to takes effect. This
Worker’s Feet potential impact
force exceeds
many lanyard
6’ Lanyard Length capacities (and
OSHA standards).

When added to
3.5’ Deceleration Device
“total fall distance”,
anchoring at the
3’ Safety Factor feet can become
(stretch, bounce, etc.) problematic

All distances are approximate, and shown for illustration only.

 Minimizing Free Fall Distance or
“Vertical Displacement”
Extended
6’ Lanyard Length Lanyard Length
Plus maximum
2’ extension
3.5’ Deceleration Device (usually within
inches)

Tie to anchor Or use a

above the D-ring retractable

Using an anchorage above the D-ring and a standard lanyard may still
allow an employee to fall a distance that may be difficult to rescue
from. Using a retractable minimizes forces on the body, and may
make rescue easier (and therefore more timely)
All distances are approximate, and shown for illustration only. This is why it is critical to maintain the safety factor distance!
 Practical Implications of Total &
Free Fall Distance Added Together
• These workers are
tied to the beams they
are standing on with
choker slings.
• How far will they fall?
 Watch Swing Falls
• This worker is tied
off using a
retractable lifeline. Swing Fall
• There is a major
swing fall potential if
he fell to either side.
 Anchorages
• Must support 5000# per employee attached,
– Or as part of a complete personal fall arrest
system which maintains a safety factor of at least
two
– Or 3000# when using fall restraint or a Self-
Retracting Lifeline (SRL, Retractable, or “yo-yo”)
which limits free fall distance to 2 feet
• Should always be at or above D-ring height
Roof & Deck Anchors
Wood Roof
Permanent
Anchor
Anchors

Metal Roof
Anchor
 Girder Grip Anchorage
Rings

• These attachments can be mounted through

bolt holes on steel members.
• They are rated at 5,000 lbs. in all directions
 Beam Clamps
Beam clamps can make an effective anchorage when used properly, and
with the correct lanyard

TIGHT BEAM
CLAMP

PIN SET

Be sure pin is inserted full length and

clamp is tight.
Beware of potential for pulling off of coped ends
on filler beams!
 Horizontal Life Lines

• Provide maneuverability.
• Must be designed, installed
and used under the guidance
of a qualified person
– This could be interpreted as
requiring the use of
manufactured systems, which
is recommended
 Body (Harnesses)
• Need to be inspected frequently (daily
before use by the worker, at least monthly
by a Competent Person)
• Should never be modified
• Should be taken out of service
immediately if defective or exposed to an
impact
 Harness Fitting
Chest strap tightened
at mid chest
“D” ring between
shoulder blades

Proper snugness
shoulder to hips

Leg straps snug but Butt strap

not binding supports the load

• Harness must be sized for the worker

Proper Adjustment Is Key
“Rules of Thumb”
• Be able to reach your D-
ring with your thumb
• Maximum Four (flat)
Fingers of Slack at the legs,
straps as high as
comfortably possible
• Ensure chest strap is
across the
chest/breastbone
• Have a buddy double
check for twists, etc…
 Harness Pressure Points

Spread load
across butt strap
and belt strap if
on the harness

Excess pressure here can

cut blood flow to the legs

Some studies have indicated permanent damage to the lower extremities when
the worker hangs for more than twenty (10) minutes
 Retractable
Lifelines

• Very effective for vertical

applications.
• Will normally lock up in 1 –2
feet, minimizing total fall
distance and impact forces
on the worker’s body
Do Not Hook Lanyards
to Retractables!
• This worker is hooked
to a retractable lifeline
with his lanyard.
• This can cause hook
failures and affect the
locking capability of the
retractable.
• The retractable should
be attached directly to
the “D” ring.
 Positioning Systems
• Positioning Devices
Provide Hands-free
Work
– Additional Fall
Protection (tie-off) may
be required to move or
access
Positioning
 Restraint Devices
• Provide Access but Prevent the Fall
• Limit anchorage requirement to 3000#
• May be more suitable for loading areas,
scaffold erection and dismantling
• Should be installed and used under the
supervision of a Competent Person
 Fall Restraint

Restraint Line

Edge
• Fall restraint assumes the employee cannot reach the edge.
• He is basically on a short leash.
• If the employee could reach to the edge and fall over the
edge, he must be in fall arrest.
 Use of Restraint Cables

Example of restraint cables used during deck

anchoring.

RESTRAINT CABLE
Will This Work?
Planning For Rescue

Worst-case Scenario?
When All Works!
Rescue Plan Put Into Motion
Safe
On The Ground And Still Alive!
 Training

Define “Adequate”
 Training
• By a “qualified” or “competent” person
• The nature of hazards
• Appropriate systems and use
• Limitations
• Evaluated
• Re-training
• Documentation/Certification?
Classroom
Hands-on
Site Specific
 Planning for Fall Protection
• Best practice dictates that fall protection
becomes an integral part of the project planning
process, from constructability, to systems
installation, to use and maintenance
• A project cannot be truly safe unless fall
protection is incorporated into every phase of
the construction process
• Planning will keep workers safe and minimize
liability for all parties involved
Questions?